


You Know Where You Belong

by englishstrawbie



Category: The Fosters (TV 2013)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-09
Updated: 2013-12-28
Packaged: 2017-12-18 06:51:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/876868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/englishstrawbie/pseuds/englishstrawbie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stef/Lena fic.  Series of ficlets.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Quinceanera

**Author's Note:**

> Written for L. Beta'd by KB.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-Quinceanera. Light and fluffy.

Stef winced as she slipped her heels back on, her feet objecting to being squeezed into such a tight space again. The room was empty except for a few stragglers. Mariana had left, bounding off to meet her friends for an after-party on the beach. A pile of presents lay stacked up in one corner, waiting to be unwrapped in the morning. Stef took a moment to appreciate the peace and quiet, a stark contrast to the craziness of the last few days. As she did, she felt a hand wrap around her waist from behind and a chin rest itself on her shoulder. 

“I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted,” Lena purred.

Stef smiled. “Home?”

“Home,” Lena agreed. She scrunched her nose as she surveyed the room. “Do you think it’s okay if we leave without helping them clean up?”

“Yes!” Stef scoffed. “We’ve paid enough for this thing already, there’s no way I’m tidying up too.”

She felt a warm breath on her neck as Lena leaned in to place a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you for indulging me with this party. I know it was a lot of money.”

“I get it,” Stef said softly, spinning around to face her wife. “We’ll make the numbers add up, we always do.” She took a breath before adding, “just don’t tell me how much the tiara cost.”

Lena’s cheeks flushed with guilt as Stef looked around them.

“I haven’t seen your mom for a while,” she commented.

“She went home about an hour ago,” Lena said, hurt creeping into her voice again.

“Are you okay?” Stef asked with a tilt of her head, recalling their conversation from earlier that evening. 

“Yes. No,” Lena answered, shaking her head with frustration. “I don’t know, but I _do_ know that I’m not going to let it ruin the twins’ birthday celebrations.”

Stef responded with a slight nod, knowing that this wasn’t the end of their conversation. Still, they had planned a family lunch tomorrow for Jesus and the last thing either of them wanted was for there to be a bad atmosphere around the table. She reached out and grabbed Lena’s hand, squeezing it gently and eliciting the smile she wanted to see. 

“Come on, let’s go home.” Stef paused, looking around the room once more. “Honey, do you have any idea where the rest of our kids are?”

Lena followed her gaze, surveying the empty space. “I got a message from Brandon saying that he was driving Mike home. I think he was knocking back the scotch a little too hard,” she said. She studied Stef’s face, watching as it darkened slightly. “Should we would be worried?”

Stef bit her bottom lip. “I don’t know,” she admitted ruefully. “What about Jesus?”

“Walking Lexi home. Callie?”

Their eyes met, feeling simultaneously worried and guilty that they didn’t know where their foster daughter was. 

“She’s probably at the beach too, right?” Lena asked, trying to convince them both that there was nothing to be concerned about. “I’ll text Mariana and tell her to look out for her.”

“Maybe it’s time to get Callie a cellphone like the others,” Stef mused.

They both looked down at the sleeping form nearby, the last member of the family to count off the list. 

“And then there’s Jude.”

He was lying across three seats at the next table, his jacket slung over his body as he slept peacefully. 

“And Jude,” Stef said fondly.

“Stef.” Lena’s voice had a warning tone. 

“What?” Stef asked, eyes wide with innocence.

“We agreed to give these kids a home on one condition...”

“...I know. Don’t fall in love with them. I’m not,” Stef denied, convincing no one. 

Lena smiled, knowing her wife all too well. “Uh huh.” She shuffled in closer and caught her lips in a kiss. “Let’s go home.”

* * * * * * * * * * 

Stef dropped onto the mattress, lying back with her legs hanging over the edge of the bed, and let out a loud sigh of relief on behalf of her feet. 

“I feel like I could sleep for a week,” she groaned, closing her eyes and sinking into the sheets. “What are the chances that the kids’ll let us sleep in tomorrow?”

Lena smiled, slipping out of her heels and shrugging her jacket off, tossing it to one side. She wandered to the end of the bed and lifted Stef’s legs one by one, sliding each shoe off and dropping it on the floor. Stef opened her eyes slightly, squinting up at the beauty at the end of the bed. 

“You wanna give me a foot rub while you’re down there?” she said with a cheeky smile. 

Lena grinned and dug her thumbs into Stef’s arches. Her wife sighed, eyes rolling back into her head and a soft moan of pleasure escaping from her lips. 

“Oh, you’re really good at that.”

“Yeah?”

“Hmm. You’ve always been good with your hands.”

Lena chuckled, working the aches and pains in her partner’s feet. “And what do I get in return?” she asked flirtatiously.

Stef opened her eyes and smiled. “How about breakfast in bed?”

Lena pursed her lips, pretending to think about the suggestion.

“No? How about I make dinner every night for the next week?”

“Hm, maybe,” Lena teased. 

“You’re a hard woman to please,” Stef grumbled with a playful pout. “Ok, so what would you like in return?”

Lena smirked. She let go of Stef’s feet, ignoring her protests, and dropped down onto the bed. She slid in between Stef’s legs and, resting her hands either side of her shoulders, lowered her body gracefully on top of her wife. 

“I can think of one thing I really, _really_ want,” she murmured, their lips brushing together as she spoke. 

“Yeah?” Stef’s hands found their way to Lena’s hips and underneath her shirt, running her fingertips over soft skin. “What thing?”

Lena answered her with a kiss, pressing her lips down hard. Another satisfied moan escaped from the woman underneath her and she smiled smugly into the kiss. Stef’s back arched as she lifted her legs, the bottom of her dress falling to the top of her legs. Lena let her body weight dip as she moved one hand down the bed, running her palms down Stef’s toned thigh. Their kiss deepened. It had been a while since they’d had a night to themselves and Lena felt months of desire beginning to stir, spreading across her stomach. Her chest tightened as Stef’s hands ran up and down her back, grabbing her ass and hauling her in closer; hips clashing. All the while, their lips stayed locked together.

If only the kids hadn’t arrived home earlier than expected.

The sound of arguing floated into the bedroom. Lena lifted her body up as rapid Spanish filled their ears, while Stef tipped her head backwards. 

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Is that the twins?” Lena questioned, a frown forming on her face. She rolled onto her side of the bed, lifting onto her elbows. They lay side by side as they listened to the fighting get louder. 

“We should probably intervene,” Lena sighed.

“Uh huh,” Stef grunted non-committedly. She copied Lena’s actions and lifted up onto her elbows. “Ready?”

Lena nodded. They both raised one hand. 

“Rock, paper, scissors,” they said in unison. Lena made a cutting motion with her scissors towards Stef’s flat paper hand. 

“Ugh,” Stef grumbled. She shuffled down the bed, swatting Lena’s legs as she stood up. 

“You’re lucky you’re pretty.” 

Lena laughed as Stef walked out of the room, dropping back down onto the bed as she heard her wife berate their children for the interruption.

_”The next person who yells is getting grounded for a month!”_

She let out a deep sigh, hoping to vent her frustration with one big exhale. This wasn’t exactly the end to the evening she had been hoping for. 

As she listened to Stef trying to diffuse the situation downstairs, she thought about the night they’d had. She thought about the kids waltzing and how grown up they had looked. When did that happen? When did they stop being her babies? She thought about the video montage that she and Stef had put together, hours spent pouring over videos and photos of the life and the family they had built together. Now that family was getting bigger and she knew that Stef wasn’t the only one who was breaking their rule. Her capacity to love had got bigger the day she had met her partner – her wife – and it had carried on growing every day since. 

As her mind wandered, a smile spread across her face. Stef was right about one thing: she did know where she belonged. 

Here.


	2. Vigil

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Post-Vigil. Beta'd by KB.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your comments and kudos. They are all very much appreciated and encouraged me to write another chapter. :)

Lena’s eyes cracked open in the morning sunlight and, for a moment, she didn’t remember.

She was buried underneath the blankets, her head resting on the plump pillow beneath her, and as she breathed deeply all she could smell was the scent of Stef’s vanilla spice perfume. She waited for the familiar feeling of strong arms wrapping around her waist, the grumbling in her ear at the morning's arrival, and the soft kiss on her shoulder.

It didn't come. All that came was a sudden recollection of the weekend's events. 

The phone call from Mike; the cold walls of the hospital waiting room; the fear and uncertainty and anger that settled over her heart as she waited for news. The tubes and machines and discarded gauze lying around the emergency room; the image of Stef on the hospital gurney with a taunting bullet hole in her side. The blood, thick and red and staining everything it touched, so vivid in her memories. 

Lena sat up and wiped the trickle of sweat from her forehead as she tried desperately to push those thoughts out of her mind. Her body ached, a fitful night’s sleep doing nothing to alleviate the stress that had worked its way into her back and shoulders and settled there in knots. She pushed her shoulders back and rolled her neck. What she wouldn’t give to have her partner’s hands on her body right now, soothing and massaging the pain away.

Her hand wandered mindlessly to the spot behind her where Stef would normally lie, the empty space causing her heart to contract. It was rare for them to spend a night apart and Lena hated the idea of Stef all alone in the hospital, with no home comforts. 

Lena looked down at the other side of the bed. There was a gap where Mariana had fallen asleep beside her earlier and Lena guessed that she had probably grown frustrated by her mother’s tossing and turning all night. 

She glanced up at the clock on the bedside table, which read 6:16am. Not caring about the early hour, Lena grabbed her cell phone and called the hospital, the nursing staff assuring her that Stef was still okay and sleeping. 

Knowing that sleep was out of the question for herself, Lena climbed out of bed, slid her feet into her slippers and padded out to the hallway. Slowly, as quietly as possible, she pushed each bedroom door open. Mariana was safe in her own bed, sprawled out on her front and hugging the pillow beneath her, a small frown on her face giving away the guilt that she still carried. Callie lay on her back, her hands gripping the bed sheets tightly. 

In the next room, Brandon lay on his side, his cheeks stained red and the pillow he rested on wet from soaking up his tears. Lena stopped to watch him sleep for a while, taken aback by how much he looked like a little boy again. She couldn’t help but lean down and gently press her lips to his hair, like she used to when he was younger.

Across the hallway, Jesus faced the window, the blankets rising and falling in a steady rhythm as he slept. As Lena moved across the room, her feet brushed against a small, crumpled piece of paper on the floor by his bed. She picked it up and smoothed the edges, anger creeping in again when she saw the details of the woman’s shelter that Jesus had tried so hard to get Ana into. Screwing it up, she tossed it into the bin, dismissing all thoughts of that woman and focussing on her family instead. 

She came to Jude last, who was curled up in a ball and holding a photograph against his chest. The morning sunlight gleamed over it, showing a young Callie of maybe four or five years old with a woman who was so obviously her mother, kneeling in front of a baby who could only be Jude. She knelt down beside the bed and studied his face. There was so much about this young boy that she didn’t know. As she watched him, he opened his eyes, blinking a few times as he took in his surroundings. 

“Lena?”

“It’s okay, sweetheart. Everything’s okay,” Lena said gently. She brushed the hair out of his eyes. “Thank you for holding my hand yesterday.”

Jude offered her a small smile.

“Are we going to the hospital today?” he asked.

“Yeah, of course. We’ll go in a few hours,” Lena promised. “Get some more sleep, okay?”

Jude gave a small nod and closed his eyes as Lena kissed his forehead.

Stepping out into the hallway, she inhaled deeply. Five kids and she couldn’t help but think how close she had come to becoming a single mom. The thought of doing it all without Stef terrified her. They weren’t a family without Stef; she was the one who held them together when everything around them seemed to be falling apart. 

A small smile spread across her face, taking her by surprise. It was going to be okay. They were going to have a happy ending – the twins were safe, Stef was going to be fine, and they were going to get married. It was all going to be okay. 

* * * * * * * * * * 

They arrived at the hospital just after 9.30am. None of the kids had slept late, all of them anxious to be with their mom. Lena sent them to the shop, telling them that it would be nice if they arrived with gifts and flowers, but selfishly wanting a few moments with her partner before the kids drew her attention away. 

Stef was upright in bed, her head tipped to one side and her eyes closed; her brow furrowed as if she were thinking deeply about something. The mask over her mouth was gone, but she still had a tube in her nose. Her arms rested by her side, her left hand clenched in a tight fist. Lena paused in the doorway. Stef was never quiet; she was brash and noisy and had a smart mouth, always with a quip or a joke. She had been a whirlwind in Lena’s life for the last ten years and the silence was hard to take. 

Lena stepped inside the room and placed her bag carefully on the chair, causing Stef to stir.

“Hey,” Stef murmured a little groggily, turning her head. 

“Hey,” Lena said, walking up to the bed and taking her love’s right hand in her own. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You didn’t, I was just resting.” Stef looked towards the door. “Where are the kids?”

“At the gift shop, they’ll be here soon,” Lena said. “They all can’t wait to see you.”

Stef smiled, her face lighting up immediately. Lena returned the gesture.

“You look brighter today,” she said, unable to hide her delight at seeing her partner more awake. She brushed a stray piece of hair away from Stef’s eyes and leaned forwards to kiss her temple, lingering for a moment. “Did you sleep okay?”

“Yeah, pretty good,” Stef answered. “Although I could have done without the guy next door watching repeats of _Jeopardy_ at one o’clock in the morning, especially because he was so bad at it. I, on the other hand, would have won us almost $4,000 thanks to my wealth of knowledge about the American presidents.” 

They both chuckled, the smile falling quickly from Lena’s face when she noticed Stef wince. 

“Are you okay? Are you in pain?” Lena asked, frowning. She pulled back, as if she was about to rush out of the room to find a nurse, but Stef caught her hand to stop her.

“I’m okay. It just hurts to laugh,” she said. 

Lena chewed on her bottom lip, unconvinced. 

Stef squeezed her hand. “I’m okay,” she repeated. “Just no laughing, only serious conversation.” She frowned solemnly, but her eyes twinkled playfully. 

Lena pursed her lips, the corners of her mouth twisting upwards as she tried to hide a smirk. “Serious conversation, huh?” she mused, stepping up to the bed once more. “We’ll see how long that lasts.”

Stef grinned. Her eyes drifted to her left hand and she lifted it, unclenching her fist slowly. Lena’s gaze followed. 

“The nurse brought me my stuff this morning. They pulled my necklace off when I got here.”

Curled in her hand was a thin silver chain with a small diamond hanging from it. She let one end of the chain drop, the link broken. “You gave me this on our tenth anniversary.”

“I know,” Lena said, remembering their celebrations clearly in her mind. 

“They broke it.” 

“It’s okay,” Lena said, catching the chain and wrapping her hand around Stef’s. “We can fix it.”

“But it won’t be the same.” 

Her words hung in the air and Lena wasn’t sure if she was still talking about the necklace. 

“Hey,” Lena said, lifting herself to perch on the edge of the bed and capturing Stef’s attention. “It’s just a necklace. If it’s broken, we’ll fix it. And it’ll be just as special as before, I promise; maybe even more so.”

Stef gave a small nod. As she dipped her head, Lena kissed her forehead. They stayed leaning into each other for a moment, until Stef looked up. 

“Did you tell the kids we’re getting married?” she asked.

“Not yet,” Lena admitted. “I thought maybe we’d do it together. Besides, I… I wanted to make sure that you really meant it. That it wasn’t just some drug-induced euphoria.”

She blushed bashfully, dropping her eyes and running her thumb lightly over the back of Stef’s arm.

“Lena,” Stef said softly.

“I just… I want you to ask because _you_ want to get married, not because _I_ want it,” Lena confessed. She looked up to see Stef staring intently at her. “I love everything about our life just as it is, you know that, right? Nothing has to change.”

“I know,” Stef said emphatically. “I want to marry you, Lena. Because I love you; because I belong with you and you belong with me. Forever.”

Lena felt her eyes filling with tears, elation spreading across her chest, and she nodded, letting out a small laugh. “Good answer.”

Stef smirked. “Come here,” she murmured. 

Lena shuffled forwards and kissed her fiancée hard. Never again would she let Stef leave the house without kissing her goodbye and telling her that she loved her. 

They kept their foreheads pressed against each other, their noses squashed affectionately. “I love you, too,” Lena whispered.

The sound of playful bickering amongst their children came floating down the hallway and into the room. Lena pulled back slightly. 

“Let’s tell them right now,” she said resolutely. “Let’s tell them we’re getting married.”

Stef smiled. “We’re getting married.”


	3. I Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Additional scenes during "I Do". Beta'd by KB.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, thank you for your comments and kudos, they are all appreciated.

They arrived at the courthouse early at Lena’s insistence, the hustle and bustle of the house pre-wedding too much for all of them this morning. It was quiet when they arrived, with only a handful of officials around getting ready for the day ahead. An attentive gentleman in his fifties directed them to an empty waiting area, where chairs were set out in small pods and an old coffee machine stood in one corner. 

They sat in a row, Callie flanked by Stef and Lena; all of them lost in their own thoughts about what was going to happen. Each cradled a Styrofoam cup of coffee in their hands – well, if you could call it coffee. It was a bitter, brown liquid that none of them could stomach, but it had provided them with a topic of conversation for a minute or two. Now, silence had fallen while they waited. 

Stef leaned back in her chair, her head resting on the wall behind her as she stared up at the ceiling, following a crack that ran from one corner to another. Lena’s eyes darted down the corridor, the courthouse a foreign place to her, and she watched with interest as the halls started to fill with people. Callie was slumped in her seat with her head lowered and her eyes concentrated on the floor. 

“What time is Alex getting here?” Lena asked, breaking the silence.

Stef rolled her head to look towards Lena. “Uh, about ten o’clock,” she answered. 

They met each other’s eye before both looking down at Callie. “You doing okay?” Stef asked, directing her question to the young girl in between them. 

Callie didn’t respond, leaving Stef’s question hanging in the air. Carefully, and slowly, she placed her hand on Callie’s knee. 

“Callie?”

Callie’s gaze drifted towards Stef’s hand before she looked up at her foster mother and gave a small nod. Her head dropped again, avoiding any conversation. It was hard not to push the teenager to talk, both women desperate to know what was going on inside her head; but they had agreed to give her space, hoping that they had come far enough for her to feel like she could talk to them if she wanted. 

The minutes continued to tick by in silence, a nervous energy filling the space between them. They became lost in their thoughts once again and so the two older women were startled when Callie suddenly stood up from her seat. 

“You okay?” Lena asked, her eyes full of concern as she looked up at the young girl.

“Yeah. I, uh, I’m just going to the bathroom,” Callie mumbled.

Lena’s gaze flicked towards Stef. “Do you want one of us to come with you?”

“No, I’ll be fine,” Callie said, offering a reassuring smile that left no-one convinced. They watched her walk down the hallway, her body growing smaller as she got further and further away. 

Lena closed her eyes and sighed, her body deflating. Stef leaned across the empty seat between them and wrapped her hand around Lena’s. 

“Hey,” she said gently. She wanted to placate her, tell her that it was going to be okay, but they both knew that was far from the truth. 

Lena bit her lip and Stef could see her processing her thoughts. She squeezed her hand, silently encouraging her to formulate those thoughts into words, knowing that it would eat her up if she kept her feelings hidden inside.

“I want her to lie,” Lena confessed eventually. 

She didn’t have to look at Stef to sense her surprise. “I mean, I don’t; of course I don’t. I want her to tell the truth and I want Liam to go to jail for a hell of a long time,” she said, exhaling deeply. “But if that won’t happen, if he’s gonna walk free? Then there’s a part of me that wants her to lie.”

She rolled her eyes upwards, her guilt apparent, and shook her head. “I know she’s more mature than most sixteen year olds out there, but she’s still a kid, and I feel like she’s counting on us to tell her what to do and we’re letting her down by not.”

Stef ran her thumb lightly over her partner’s skin. “We talked about this,” she said calmly. “It has to be her choice.”

“I know,” Lena said, her voice a little harder than she intended. She squeezed Stef’s fingers, offering an apologetic smile. “I know,” she repeated, more softly this time.

Stef tugged at her hand and Lena’s shoulder dropped to the side, her eyes closing as Stef placed a soft kiss on her temple. 

Stef’s head tilted to one side and her gaze drifted down the corridor, spotting Callie walking back towards them. She squeezed Lena’s hand one more time before letting go and sitting up, making space in between them once more. Callie walked slowly but with purpose, her brow furrowed as if she was thinking furiously, which Stef assumed meant that she was still trying to work out what she would say when she was in the witness box. If she could trade places with the teenager, she would in a heartbeat; wishing that there was something she could do to take away the responsibility that lay squarely on Callie’s shoulders right now. 

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Callie faltered. A flash of panic crossed her face, causing Stef to stand up instinctively. She followed Callie’s eye line and caught sight of a family on the other side of the corridor. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the young man smirking confidently at her foster daughter. 

Liam. 

It caught her by surprise how old he looked, and how tall and broad he was compared to Callie’s small frame. She felt anger rile up inside of her, which didn’t go unnoticed by Lena, who stood up next to her.

“Stef,” she warned, not only wanting to avoid making a scene but also conscious that Stef was still not fully healed following the shooting. She saw Stef puff out her chest resiliently and put a placating hand on her forearm. 

Stef glanced at her partner, catching her elbow and pulling her into step beside her as she made her way swiftly towards Callie. As they reached her, Stef glared furiously at the Olmsteads; angry at Liam for what he had done and angry at his parents for letting it happen. She spared them only a fleeting moment before focussing on Callie. Lena had already grabbed Callie’s hand and pulled her attention away from the family standing just a few steps away from them. Stef slid her arm around the girl’s waist and pulled her close.

“It’s okay,” she murmured, only loud enough for Callie to hear. “Come on.”

Callie’s feet were rooted to the spot and Stef flattened her hand on her back, pushing her gently to encourage her to walk. They guided Callie back down the hallway, Stef on one side and Lena on the other, and found their seats again. Callie’s hands were firmly in the grip of Stef and Lena’s, and she was grateful for the physical contact, if only to stop her from shaking. Her eyes were glassy, giving away the scared child that she was. It reminded Lena of the first day she met her, outside Juvie. How far they had come since that day, yet still they couldn’t protect Callie from her past. 

With one hand holding Callie’s, Lena placed the other on her back and rubbed gentle circles. “Callie?” she said tenderly. “It’s okay to be upset.”

Callie blinked a few times and shook her head resiliently. “I’m okay,” she said.

“Callie, you don’t have to be strong for us,” Stef admonished lightly. 

“We know this is hard,” Lena said. “It’s okay to be scared and it’s okay to be angry. You don’t have to hide that from us.”

Callie looked at her then, her eyes piercing through Lena as if she had a million and one thoughts running through her mind. She opened her mouth to speak just as the ADA, Alex, arrived, flustered and dropping papers around his feet and stumbling over an apology. Three pairs of eyes rolled together at his incompetency. 

Alex looked directly at Callie. “The clerk will call us into the room in about ten minutes. How are you, are you ready?”

Callie nodded resolutely, looking more determined than she had in days. “I’m ready.”

* * * * * * * * * * 

Stef slipped her cardigan over her shoulders and let out a deep sigh. Her body ached with exhaustion, the last few weeks starting to take its toll. The shooting and its aftermath, the wedding preparations, the court case, the constant presence of her mother: all weighing down on her. Following her release from the hospital, Lena had been desperate for her to take the time needed to fully recover, but Stef’s stubborn streak refused to allow her fiancée to shoulder the burden of everything that was happening on her own, regardless of the semi-healed bullet wound she carried.

She could hear Lena crashing around the kitchen downstairs, taking her anger and frustration out on the pots and pans as she made lunch. Despite Callie’s honesty in the court room, they got the outcome they had expected. The judge had delivered his decision with surety, but there had been a hint of regret in his voice. Callie’s body had shrunk in defeat as the judge spoke, her hands still firmly in the grip of Stef and Lena as they refused to let go. They had kept their reactions minimal for Callie’s sake, but their disappointment had been evident. 

The Olmsteads had been quiet and Stef was grateful that Callie had been spared their celebrations. She had caught Mrs Olmstead wiping away a tear as they left the courthouse and thought perhaps the woman knew what kind of man her son had become after all. 

Callie had disappeared into her bedroom as soon as they had arrived home, announcing that she was tired, and had not emerged since. Walking into the hallway, Stef lingered outside her bedroom door for a moment, her hand wavering over the handle as she thought about checking up on her foster daughter. She understood that Callie needed time to get her head around the judge’s decision, but she hated the idea of her being alone for so long.

Eventually, Stef knocked lightly on the door, waiting for Callie to invite her in before entering. Callie was lying on her bed, legs stretched out and hands behind her head, staring up at the ceiling. Stef sat down on the edge of the bed, hands clasped and resting in her lap. 

“Are you doing okay?” she asked, disappointed when Callie merely shrugged her answer. 

“You know, Lena and I are here for you if you wanna talk about it,” Stef offered. “I know today must have been really hard and I think it would be good if you talked about it – to someone.” 

Their relationship had warmed since the day Stef had arrived home from work to find Callie sitting around the kitchen table, but the young girl still had walls built around her that would take time to knock down. Stef knew that she and Lena had only just started to make a crack. 

Callie lowered her gaze and caught Stef’s eye. After a beat, she moved, lifting herself up to sitting and twisting around so that her legs swung over the edge of the bed. 

“I thought I’d be more angry,” she said softly. 

Lena chose that moment to break a mug downstairs, the sound echoing through the house, causing both heads to turn towards the door. 

“I think Lena’s angry enough for all of us,” Stef teased, eliciting a small smile from Callie. Stef turned back towards her, dipping her head to try and catch her eye. “How do you feel?”

“I feel… like I shouldn’t be surprised that things didn’t go my way. Because ever since my mom died, that’s pretty much how everything turns out,” Callie answered stoically. “I mean, the lawyer told us that we’d lose.” She paused to correct herself. “That I’d lose.” 

It broke Stef’s heart to hear her isolate herself in that way. She shook her head. “It shouldn’t be like that. You shouldn’t feel like the world is against you, not when you’re sixteen and your whole life is ahead of you. I wish…”

She paused. She wished that it had never happened; that these kids had come to them when their mother had died, so that they could have been protected from the last six years. But that was impossible. 

“I just wish there was more we could do to get you what you deserve.”

A silence fell over them.

“I’m sorry,” Callie said eventually.

“For what?” Stef asked.

“If I’d told them it was consensual then maybe we would’ve had a chance. It wouldn’t have all been for nothing.”

“Oh sweetheart,” Stef sighed, wrapping her arm around Callie’s shoulders and squeezing her tightly. “Don’t ever apologise for telling the truth. Just because we didn’t get the outcome we wanted, doesn’t mean it was for nothing.” 

“You’re not mad?”

“Mad? No, honey. I am so proud of you. We both are,” Stef said. “And I think you did the right thing. Screw the law, screw the judge, screw him. You did what was right for you, and that’s all we care about.”

Stef pulled her foster daughter close. She felt her tense up but she didn’t let go, giving Callie a moment to relax into her embrace. Callie dropped her head onto her shoulder and Stef rested her cheek on top of her hair. It was the first real hug that Stef had ever given her. 

“Thank you,” Callie said, so quietly that Stef only just heard her. “Thank you for believing me.”

Stef closed her eyes. “Thank you for telling us.” She hugged Callie’s body tighter and kissed the top of her head, before rubbing her arm and pulling back slightly. She noticed Callie hide her face to wipe away a stray tear that had rolled down her cheek. 

“Listen, I know the last thing you probably want is a house full of strangers this weekend,” Stef started to say. 

“I don’t mind,” Callie said with a shrug. “It’d be nice to have something happy to think about.” 

“Well, look, if gets too hard at any time, then you come and find us, okay?” Stef said. 

Callie nodded. 

Another crash echoed up the stairs, causing Stef to roll her eyes. “I think I’d better go and rescue the kitchen from Lena.”

Callie chuckled, allowing herself a momentary reprieve. Grateful to hear her laugh, Stef patted her legs before standing up and making her way downstairs, hoping they still had enough plates for dinner. 

* * * * * * * * * * 

Lena wrapped her arm around her soon-to-be-wife and let out a contented sigh; their naked bodies curled together, legs entwined. Her head rested in the crook of Stef’s neck and she smiled when she felt Stef’s lips press against her forehead and her nose nuzzle her hair. It was early, but the sun was already streaming through the curtains and she could hear the faint sound of birds chirping outside. 

They had fallen asleep around two a.m. With a firm nudge from Lena, Stef had finally explained what had been going through her head over the last few weeks, the words falling out of her as she opened herself up. There had been tears from both of them and declarations of love as Stef had given Lena the reassurance she needed over and over again that a lifetime being married to her was what she wanted; finally shutting up when Lena had covered her mouth with her own. 

They had stirred a while ago, both too comfortable in their embrace to move, despite the busy day ahead. It was Saturday; they were getting married today. The thought made Lena smile. She closed her eyes as she thought about feeling like this, every day for the rest of her life: loved, happy and content. 

“Lena?” Stef said, interrupting her daydream.

“Hmm?” came the soft reply

“I’ve been thinking about what you said – about Callie. About how she deserves more, how she deserves a break. They both do.”

Lena opened her eyes. She had heard this tone in Stef’s voice before, almost ten years ago. She lifted her head and propped it on her hand, shooting Stef a questioning look. 

“I know we don’t have much space and I know money is an issue…” Stef started to explain.

“But you want to keep them?” Lena interjected.

“You don’t?”

Lena fell back onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Stef turned her head to look at her, waiting for her reply.

“Yes, of course I do,” Lena said eventually. She rolled onto her side, her head resting on her hand. “Do you think they’d want to stay?”

Stef mimicked her so that they lay face to face down the middle of the bed. 

“I hope so. I mean, they seem happy here, right? Comfortable, safe?” She spoke as if she was trying to convince herself. “I just can’t imagine them leaving, you know?”

Lena smiled. “You have a big heart, Stefanie Foster. And I’m so glad I have a piece of it.”

Stef returned her smile and instinctively edged forwards just as Lena did, their lips meeting in a gentle kiss. Stef’s hand found Lena’s skin, stroking it gently, craving the physical contact.

“Are we sure about this?” Lena asked, a little doubt creeping in. Stef looked at her and raised her eyebrows a little, her eyes saying ‘yes’. A smile flashed across Lena’s face. “Then I want to tell them – today. I don’t want them coming to the wedding not knowing.”

They shared a smile and Lena exhaled deeply.

“Two more, huh?” she stated. “I never thought I’d have five kids.”

“I always wanted a big family,” Stef said. “I hated being an only child. When Brandon was little, I wanted so much to be able to give him a brother or a sister. For a long time, I didn’t think it would happen. Until you.”

Lena looked surprised and Stef gave a small shrug.

“Everything that felt impossible became possible when I met you.” Stef smiled. “I love you. I love this family we’ve created. I love that I get to enjoy it for the rest of my life.”

Lena’s heart beat faster in her chest. She lifted her hand and wrapped it around Stef’s neck, pulling her close and embracing her in another deep kiss. She fell onto her back, taking Stef with her and emitting a soft moan as Stef’s hand followed the curve of her hips.

It was Stef who pulled away first. “As much as I would love to stay in bed with you, we really should get up,” she said a little woefully.

Lena pouted. “C’mon, half an hour?” 

Stef rubbed her nose against Lena’s as she shook her head. “Maybe we can finish this tonight? You know, when we’re an old, married couple.” She flashed Lena a sly grin.

“I like the sound of that,” Lena said. “An old, married couple. 

Stef dipped her head one more time, placing a quick kiss on Lena’s lips, before rolling away from her and sitting up. The bed sheets fell around her, exposing her lean back. Lena’s eyes flared as she looked her fiancée up and down, reaching out her hand and running it lightly over her hips. 

“Stef?”

Stef looked over her shoulder at her.

“I love you, too,” Lena said softly. “And our family.”

Stef smiled, unable to hide her delight at hearing those words, and turned, dropping her body on to Lena’s; kissing her way up her neck and along her jaw line. She felt Lena smirk.

“Half an hour, hmm?”

A devilish grin spread across Stef’s face. “I only need ten minutes.”


	4. First Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Stef, Lena, and Brandon's first Christmas with the twins. Unbeta'd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you for your comments and kudos, they are all appreciated.

Lena pulled into the driveway, switched off the engine and sunk back into her seat, letting out a huge sigh of relief. The shops had been ridiculously busy with last minute shoppers and she was very glad to be home. They normally prided themselves in being organised when it came to Christmas shopping but in the last year their brood had multiplied from one to three, and suddenly Lena and Stef had found themselves on Christmas Eve with a list of presents still to buy and errands to run. She had left Stef with the kids, choosing to take charge of the to-do list.

She had been gone for almost four hours and Lena had no idea what state she would find the house in. The kids had been so hyped up on excitement when she left that she was certain they had been tucking into the box of Christmas candy behind their backs - something they had all vehemently denied, even Jesus who was a terrible liar.

Leaving the presents in the car, Lena grabbed the groceries and came in through the kitchen, calling for Stef as she did.

"I'm home! Where are you?"

The house was eerily quiet, not what she expected. As she threw the grocery bags on the table, Stef came bustling into the kitchen.

"I'm so glad you're home," she declared dramatically, causing Lena to smile. Stef kissed her partner's cheek and dropped onto a stool. "How were the shops?"

"Horrendous," Lena said. "How about here?"

Stef rolled her eyes. "Equally horrendous," she said wryly. "If they weren't arguing with me about tidying up the house before Christmas Day, they were arguing with each other."

Lena cocked her head to one side, listening for her children. "It's quiet now."

"Yeah well, I bribed them with a Christmas movie and a promise of pizza for dinner," Stef said unashamedly.

Lena shook her head. She would normally disapprove of bribery tactics but, given the circumstances, she simply laughed it off.

"Did you get everything?" Stef asked.

“I think so,” Lena said, before reeling off everything she had bought. 

A trip to the mall to visit Santa last weekend had sent them into a spin as all three of their children had asked him for something they had never mentioned before.  For Mariana, a princess doll; for Jesus, a computer game; and for Brandon, new Lego.  Although Lena and Stef had agreed that they would not spoil them, it was their first Christmas together as a family of five and they were determined to make it special and memorable, resulting in Lena racing around the shops on Christmas Eve to buy them each an extra present.

"Well, they're sucked into the Muppet's Christmas Carol at the moment, so now's a good time to hide them upstairs," Stef said.

With the kids distracted by Kermit and his friends, Stef and Lena worked quickly to hide the extra presents upstairs and unload the groceries, joining them in the family room for the last ten minutes of the movie.

“That’s my favourite movie,” Brandon announced as the credits started to roll.

“Mine too,” Lena said, ruffling his hair playfully.  She looked across at the twins, who were curled up together in one corner of the sofa.  “What did you guys think?”

“I liked it,” Jesus answered.  Mariana, always the quiet one, simply nodded her head in agreement. 

“Are we really allowed pizza for tea?” Brandon asked, looking up at Lena.  His mom might have promised it, but he knew that Lena would have the final say.

“Of course,” Lena said.  “Pizza and a game, then early to bed in time for Santa’s visit.”

This had become their Christmas Eve tradition and one that they were excited to share with the twins.

“Can we play Go Fish?”

“Sure, if your brother and sister are happy with that?” Stef said, directing her comment at the twins.

Mariana looked at Jesus, who appeared to be thinking about his answer.  Stef raised her eyebrows in anticipation. 

“Can we have pepperoni on the pizza?” Jesus asked, ignoring the question and focussing only on his empty stomach.

“Yes, sweetheart, you can have whatever you want on your pizza,” Stef said, laughing at the same time.

Six months ago, dinners were often quiet and reserved, with only Brandon’s happy chatter to entertain them.  With three kids around the table, they were now messy and noisy, and even more so on Christmas Eve.  With pizza boxes scattered across the table, Stef and Lena sat back and listened to their children talk.  Brandon led the conversation, telling his new foster siblings about their family traditions on Christmas Day and the time he had seen Santa sneaking around the house.  (He was yet to work out that it was Mike dressed up in a red suit, persuaded to do so after Brandon had come home upset after one of the older kids at school had told him that Santa wasn’t real.)  The twins were quiet, with few happy Christmas memories to share, but obviously excited by Brandon’s stories.

After dinner and several games of Go Fish, it was Lena declared that it was time for bed.

“I’m not tired,” Jesus said.  “One more game, pleeeaaase?” 

Lena shook her head.  “You said that before the last game.  Santa won’t come until you’re tucked up in bed and fast asleep,” she said gently. 

Jesus shook his head, a stubborn frown forming on his face.  After hearing Brandon’s story, he was determined to stay awake to see Santa.  “I won’t sleep.”

Brandon puffed out his chest.  “If Jesus isn’t going to bed, neither am I.”

Lena’s eyes narrowed, as they always did when she was plotting something, and looked between her two sons.  “Hmm.  Stef, what do we do with little boys who refuse to go to bed?”

Stef’s lips quivered as she hid a smile, catching Lena’s eye and nodding.  “Oh, I think there’s only one thing that can be done,” she said, putting on a serious tone as she moved across the room towards the stereo.

Jesus’ eyes widened.  “What?”

Pressing a few buttons, Bill Haley’s _Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree_ starting playing.  Lena grabbed her sons’ hands and started spinning them around in circles, while Stef held out her hand to Mariana, who accepted it shyly.  The children erupted into laughter as their moms danced them around the room, singing loudly (and out of tune) along with the music.  Ten minutes and three songs later - _Run, Rudolph, Run_ (Brandon’s favourite), _Frosty The Snowman_ (Jesus’ favourite) and _All I Want For Christmas_ (Mariana’s favourite) – and the two women shared a smile when they saw Jesus stifle a yawn.  Insisting that it was time for bed, and with the promise of a bed time story for each of them, the three Foster children walked up the stairs and climbed into bed without any more objections. 

As Lena tucked in the youngest, Mariana looked up at her foster mother, her eyes bright.  “Mama, is Santa really coming tonight?”

Lena smiled and pressed her lips to the young girl’s forehead.  “You bet he is,” she said.  “You’ve been such a good girl all year, I bet you’re on the top of his list.”

Mariana grinned as she closed her eyes, unable to keep them open any longer.  She fell asleep quickly, as did her brothers, giving Stef and Lena time to extract the presents from their various hiding places around the house and wrap the last few gifts.  The bottom of the tree was crowded with neatly wrapped parcels, the bright wrapping paper shining under the twinkling fairy lights.

The CD player continued to fill the room with Christmas songs and soon Lena heard the familiar melody of _Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas_ , Judy Garland’s voice floating through the house.  Behind her, Stef hummed along.

“This song’s my favourite,” Lena said softly.

Stef smiled.  “I know.”  She held out her hand.  “Dance with me?”

Lena took Stef’s hand in hers, allowing herself to be pulled up to standing and into her lover’s arms.  Stef slipped one hand around Lena’s waist, placing it on the small of her back, while the other pressed Lena’s hand against her chest.  Lena’s other arm wrapped around Stef’s back and played with the ends of her long, blonde hair.  Their foreheads rested against each other, noses rubbing together as they moved in time with the music.  This was their tradition once the house was still and ready for the craziness of Christmas Day – a moment to share between themselves in the peace and quiet.  Song after song played as they swayed in the middle of the room, holding their embrace, as the clock ticked closer and closer to midnight.

When the clock struck twelve, their lips met in a slow kiss.  Stef’s hand travelled up Lena’s back and she pulled her close, a shiver shooting down her spine when she felt Lena’s tongue glide across her own.  The hand on Stef’s back found its way into her hair, Lena’s fingertips playing with the sensitive skin on the back of her neck.  Her other hand escaped Stef’s hold and dropped to her partner’s waist, tucking underneath the plaid shirt in search of skin.  She ran her hand around Stef’s waist, her warm hands moving smoothly over her partner’s soft skin.  Stef’s body tingled at her touch, a quiet moan escaping from her lips.  She pulled Lena even closer, her free hand cupping Lena’s face and her thumb gently stroking her jaw line.

“Merry Christmas,” Lena said breathlessly when they broke apart.

“Merry Christmas,” Stef said with a smile.  She took a step back, taking Lena’s hands in her own.   “Let’s go to bed.”

Lena pouted playfully, mimicking Jesus from earlier.  “But I’m not tired!”

Stef grinned mischievously.  “Who said anything about sleeping?”

It was the early hours of the morning before they passed out in a deep slumber, only to be woken just after six a.m. by Brandon charging into their room and leaping onto their bed.

“Santa came!  Mommy!  Mama!  Wake up!”

Stef had to control the urge to throw a pillow at her son.  Instead, she lifted her head and smiled.  “He did?  Wow!”

Lena did the same.  “Merry Christmas, Brandon.”

“Merry Christmas!” Brandon said, his exuberance bringing a smile to his mama’s face. 

Lena looked behind her son and spied Mariana and Jesus lingering in the doorway.

“Merry Christmas, you guys,” Lena called out to them, beckoning them into the room.

They each took a shy step inside.  Lena noticed that they were each holding the stockings that she and Stef had left at the end of their beds last night. 

“What have you got there?”

Jesus lifted his stocking out in front of him, swinging it like a pendulum.  “Santa left these in our rooms!” he said.

“Can we open our stockings now?” Brandon said, bouncing up and down on his knees.

“Of course you can,” Stef said. 

Brandon reached over the side of the bed and picked up his own stocking from where he had dropped it on his way.  Jesus shot across the room and jumped on the bed next to his foster brother.  Mariana walked more slowly, looking at the already crowded mattress and wondering where she might fit.  Sitting up, Lena noticed her hovering at the foot of the bed.

“Why don’t you come and sit between Stef and me?”

Mariana smiled and skipped along the bed to Lena’s outstretched arms, jumping into them.  Lena lifted her onto the bed and Mariana immediately curled up between her foster mothers.

“Santa really did come,” she said quietly to Lena. 

“Of course he did,” Lena said, running her hand through Mariana’s thick hair. 

Stef caught Lena’s eye once more and they shared a look that told each other how happy they were; how glad they were that they had opened their hearts, not only to the three children that were scattered amongst them, but also to each other.  It was a look that said ‘I love you’ when no words were necessary.

With a wink at Lena, Stef clapped her hands.  “Okay, my babies, are you ready?”

“Yes!” yelled Brandon and Jesus in unison, while Mariana nodded her head.

“Well then, I do declare it to be Christmas.  One, two, three…go!” 


End file.
